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"Don't Be THAT Driver" theme of Work Zone Awareness Week

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BATON ROUGE- This week DOTD is working to reduce to number of deaths and injuries connected with construction zones through Work Zone Awareness Week.

Drivers can often be seen talking on the phone, putting on makeup, eating and other activities instead of paying attention to the road.

This year’s theme is “Don’t be THAT driver.”

DOTD representatives, State Police and their safety partners came together to street the importance of work zone awareness as they kicked off the week on Monday.

“What I find deeply troubling is that each of these fatalities were preventable,” DOTD Secretary, Shawn Wilson said. “One life lost is one life too many. So when driving though work zones, all of us are here today to use drivers to stay alert and give full attention to the road way.”

669 work cones are laid to represent a work zone related death in the country.

John LeBlanc, of the Highway Safety Commission, said that seeing the cones brings back memories of StateTrooper Hung Lee, who was killed over a decade ago.

“At Troop B there's still a locker there with his name on it that no one uses in remembrance of him,” LeBlanc said.

Lee was in a marked State Police Unit when he was struck in a work zone. He suffered burns to 70 percent of his body and died two weeks later.

“His story, and many others serve as a reminder of why it's important to put the phone down, and pay attention while driving,” LeBlanc said.